On Wednesday’s Morning Focus we heard from both sides of the debate ahead of this Friday’s referendum to abolish Seanad Eireann
John Cooke was joined in studio by Former Clare Fine Gael Senator and TD Madeline Taylor Quin who is advocating a No vote in the referendum
Advocating a Yes vote was Junior Minister Alex White – the Labour Party’s Director of Elections Seanad Referendum
Also on the Yes side was former trade unionist Blair Horan of One House – an independent civil society group supporting a Yes vote in the referendum to abolish Seanad Eireann
Finally on the No side was barrister Darren Lehane from the Democracy Matters group – an independent broad based group of individuals from across Irish society who are campaigning for a No vote regarding the abolition of Seanad Eireann.
The EPA says the foul odours in the Shannon area appear to be caused by sewerage
Preliminary investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency say the smell seems to be coming through sewerage infrastructure in the town, and not from chemical plants or other industries in the Shannon and Smithstown areas
The EPA says it’s continuing to investigate industries, water and sewerage facilities in the area, following over 20 complaints in recent days which lead to a public meeting being held in Shannon last night
Peter Cunningham, Enforcement Officer with the Environmental Protection Agency, spoke with John.
In a statement to Clare FM, the local authoority says it’s Sewerage Plant at Tradaree Point continues to operate as nomal, and that no malfunctions have been recorded.
The Council states both it and the Environmental Protection Agency are continuing their investigations, and that the source of the odour nuisance which at this present point remains undetermined.
There is still great concern in the town, however, and last night saw over 100 people attend a public meeting on the matter in Shannon.
Town Councillor Patricia mcCarthy spoke with John and said people want to be re-assured.
Last night the Liam McCarthy and the glorious hurlers got a fantastic reception from almost two thousand people in Clonlara- home to 4 Clonlara players are on the starting team and two on the bench members of the team
John spoke with Jim Gully of Clonlara GAA Club to find out more.
Tonight the second part of a four-part documentary series on TG4 tells the story of the 25,000 women transported to Australia, half of them Irish born, and of the over 4,000 young orphan girls selected from the workhouses and sent on what became known as the "Famine Bride Ships" to the colony where men still outnumbered women by 9 to 1 in the outback
A number of these women were from Co Clare as Siobhan Lynam of Ned Kelly Pictures and producer of Mná Dbeartha / Banished Women told John.
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